Table with posture correction apparatus



March 1, 1955 SANDERS 1 2,703,080

TABLE WITH POSTURE CORRECTION APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 1 nm'n| mmiflwim j INVENTOR.

, [IE/.EN SANDELQS,

A7- TOQ/VEY- March 1, 1955 H, E. SANDERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HELEN E .S'ANQEQS,

ATTQENEY- March 1, 1955 H. E. SANDERS TABLE WITH POSTURE CORRECTION APPARATUS Filed/Jan. 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r 2 3 w am INVENTOR. H52. EN SANDERS,

ATOQNE Y.

United States Patent TABLE WITH POSTURE CORRECTION APPARATUS Helen E. Sanders, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 29, 1951, Serial No. 208,268

10 Claims. (Cl. 128-25) This invention relates to apparatus for correcting posture.

Improper posture is often an habitual condition. Aside from the undesirable appearance thereby resulting, the internal abdominal organs are displaced from their proper position; and pain and other more serious deviations from good health may readily develop.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide an apparatus that corrects these defects in a simple manner.

It is another object of this invention to make it possible to apply correction while the subject or patient 1s in a quiescent state.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus periodically elevating and releasing the ribs for assistance in restoring the individuals posture.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown a few forms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of. an apparatus incorporating the invention shown in use;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views, taken along planes corresponding to lines 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a pictorial view of one of the pads utilized with the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 10 is a view, taken along a plane corresponding to line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

A table 1 serves as the main support for the apparatus. This table may be appropriately supported by the aid of the legs 2 and braces 3.

A patient 4 is shown, placed in a reclining position on an inclined rest 5 over which may be disposed a cushion 6 of sponge rubber, or the like. This inclined rest 5 is formed by the upper surface of a box-like structure formed of sheet metal, and having sides 7 and closure 8 and a bottom wall 9. The hollow space underneath the top rest 5 may be utilized for storage purposes. Upright members 76 (Figs. land 5), fastened to the edge of table I, serve to limit movement of this structure with respect to the table.

The upper leg portions 10 (Fig. l) of the patient 4 are held in elevated position by the aid of a rest 11, such as the top of a stool 12, resting on table 1. The lower leg portions 13 of the body are firmly held together, as by a strap 14, and they are placed upon the rest 11. The body of the patient 4 is thus placed in a comfortable, relaxed positio A supplemental pad structure 15, as of sponge rubber, may be placed underneath the pelvic portion of the patient 4. The right-hand edge of this pad His 0 body.

raised to conform to the contour of the body, as by a 2,703,080 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 rubber pad 16 (see, also, Fig 8). This pad 16 has a triangular cleft projection 17 for forming a rest for the sacroiliac portion of the patient 4.

A triangular, resilient pad 18 (Figs. 1 and 2) is placed on the abdomen, the narrow edge being disposed toward the head 19 of the patient. A sponge rubber supplemental pad 20 is disposed beneath the pad 18.

Forces are employed to urge the pad 18 inwardly and longitudinally upwardly with respect to the trunk of the In this manner, the internal organs below the ribs are elevated and placed in a normal position.

For providing this effect, weight structures or other force-producing means may be utilized. Thus, the up ward force on the pad 18 may be provided by the aid of a pair of symmetrically arranged straps 21 and 22 diverging toward the head 19, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The right-hand ends of these straps or flexible elements are securely attached to the top of the pad 18. To these straps are attached cords 23 and 24. These cords extend over pulleys 25 (see, also, Figs. 4 and 5) and weights 26 are attached to the ends of the cords 23 and 24. The straps 21 and 22 exert forces on the pad that have major components parallel to the rest 5.

The pulleys 25 may be disposed over the hooks 27 supported on the angle iron frame 28, attached to the walls 7 as by the right angle extensions 29.

In order to render the pad 18 more effective, a pair of straps 30 ispassed between the legs of the patient and anchored at their right-hand ends on a standard 31 supported on the atble 1. This standard 31 may be provided with a layer 32 of yielding material. The straps 30 extend along the sides of the patient to a place beneath the ribs, and are connected to cords 33 passing through eyes 34 supported on the edge of the rest 5. The lower ends of these cords are provided with the weights 35.

Provisions are also made for urging the base portion of the pad 18 that is lowermost of the person firmly against the abdomen. For this purpose, flexible elements 36 are provided, attached to the upper surface of the pad 18 and near the base portion thereof. These straps are respectively connected, as by cords 37, to the weights 38. The straps 36 exert forces on the pad that have major components normal to the inclined rest 5. A cord loop 39 may be provided for each of the weights 38, limiting the downward movement when the patient is removed from the table. These cords are anchored to the cars 40 attached to the edge of the rest 5.

A swinging head support is also provided. This head support is shown most clearly in Fig. 7. It may comprise an arcuate hammock-like structure 41 made of metal. At its opposite edges, this structure 41 is provided with rolled beads 42 through which pass pivot pins 43. These pivot pins are supported at the upper ends of the posts 44. These posts 44 are shown as being adjustable along the inclined rest 5, as by the aid of the foot structure 45. Thus, the apparatus may be adjusted to conform to the length of the trunk. A three-section'pad 46 is disposed on the swinging support 41. The head 19 rests on the center portion of this pad, and the two end portions may be strapped together at the chin, by the aid of the straps 47.

A force is exerted urging the support 41 in a clockwise direction about pivot pins 43. For this purpose, a strap or flexible element 48 is joined to the rear center portion of the support 41. This strap is connected to a cord 49 (see, also Fig. 3) passing over a pulley 50. This pulley 50 is anchored on a book 51 attached to the horizontal leg of the angle iron frame 28. The cord 49 carries at its end a weight 52.

The six weights 26, 35, and 38, as well as the center weights 52, may be of the order of five pounds.

In the treatment of the patient 4, the forces operating upon the pad 18, and the forces exerted by the straps 30 on the abdomen, assist in maintaining the internal organs of the body in elevated position. The abdomen is urged inwardly, and toward the backbone, by the forces imposed by the weights 35 and 38.

The head 19 is urged in a direction to provide proper posture for the body.

Supplementing these weights there may be provided a motor-driven mechanism for elevating the lumbar ribs and relaxing them in a cyclic manner, at the rate of about seventy-two times, a minute. This corresponds roughly to the pulse of the patient. This mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.

The patient 4 in this form of the invention is supported upon the inclined rest 5 as before. The arms 53 are elevated, and may be arranged in a position above the head 19. A flexible element 54 passes underneath the patient 4, and also over the pads 55 disposed in the armpit region. The ends of this element pass over pulleys 56 anchored to an angle iron 57 extending across a frame 58. This frame 58 is appropriately supported at the lefthand end of the table The ends of the straps 54, as shown most clearly in Fig. 10. are jointed to tension springs 59 and 59a. The lower ends of these springs are, in turn, anchored to the ends of the cranks 60 and 61, as by the aid of the pins 62. The cranks 60 and 61 are firmly attached to the extremities of a shaft 63 journalled in a standard 64. This standard 64 is supported upon a block 65, in turn attached to a base 66. This base is mounted on the left-hand end of table 1.

Shaft 63 carries a V-pulley 67 at its left-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 10. This pulley, in turn, is driven by the aid of a belt 68 passing over a small pulley 69. This small pulley 69 is mounted on a countershaft 70 supported on the standard 71 mounted on the base 66. The right-hand end of the shaft 70 carries the large pulley 72, driven by the pulley 73 on a small electric motor 74, and belt 77. This motor 74 is mounted on a frame 75 attached to the end of the table 1.

The reduction obtained by the pulleys and belts is such that the springs 59 and 5914 are alternately stretched and released cyclically at the rate of about seventy-two times per minute. The left-hand spring 59 may be made considerably weaker than the right-hand spring 59a to re duce the force at the left side of the patient.

By this mechanism, an alternate stretching of the ends of the flexible elements 54 is provided. This serves to elevate and release the ribs at the chest region of the patient 4.

When the springs 59 and 59a are tensioned in this manner, the head 19 is given a reciprocatory angular motion as Well, due to the provision of the weight 52.

Repeated treatments of about one-half hour duration are found of substantial benefit in readjusting the posture of the patient 4.

The inventor claims:

1. In apparatus of the character described: an inclined rest for the trunk of a person; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; means engageable with the pad for urging the pad against the abdomen; and means engageable with the pad exerting a force on the pad in a direction longitudinally of the trunk and toward the head of the person.

2. In apparatus of the character described: an inclined rest for the trunk of a person; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; means engageable with the pad for urging the pad against the abdomen; means engageable with the pad exerting a force on the pad in a direction longitudinally of the trunk and toward the head of the person; and means for holding the upper leg portions in an elevated position with respect to the trunk.

3. In apparatus of the character described: an inclined rest for the upper part of a person; means for holding the upper portion of the legs in an elevated position with respect to said upper part of a person; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; a pair of flexible elements attached to the pad: Weights attached respectively to the elements for causing the elements to exert a force on the pad against the abdomen; a second set of flexible elements attached to the pad; and a second set of weights attached respectively to the second pair of elements for urging the pad in a direction longitudinally of the abdomen; the elements being symmetrically arranged with respect to the pad.

4. In apparatus of the character described: an inclined rest for the trunk of a person; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; means engageable with the pad for urging the pad against the abdomen; means engageable with the pad exerting a force on the pad in a direction upwardly of the trunk; a pivoted rest for the head; and means attached to the rest for applying a torque to the rest.

5. In apparatus of the character described: a rest for the trunk of a person; a flexible element adapted to extend along the armpits and below the chest of the person; and means for cyclically urging said flexible element toward the armpits, comprising a pair of springs having one end respectively secured to the ends of said flexible element, and means secured to the other ends of said springs respectively for cyclically and simultaneously tensioning said springs.

6. in apparatus of the character described: a rest for the trunk of a person; a flexible element adapted to extend along the armpits and below the chest of the person; means for cyclically urging said flexible element toward the armpits, comprising a pair of springs having one end respectively secured to the ends of said flexible element,

and means secured to the other ends of said springs respectively for cyclically and simultaneously tensioning said springs; a head rest; means pivotally supporting said rest; and means imposing a torque on said rest for urging the head toward the trunk.

7. In apparatus of the character described: a rest for the trunk of a person; a flexible element adapted to extend along the arm pits and below the chest of the person; means for cyclically urging said flexible element toward the armpits, comprising a pair of springs having one end respectively secured to the ends of said flexible element, and means secured to the other ends of said springs respectively for cyclically and simultaneously tensioning said springs; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; and means connected to the pad for applying pressure on said pad to urge said pad in a direction longitudinally of the trunk and toward the head of the person.

8. In apparatus of the character described: a rest for the trunk of a person; a flexible element adapted to extend along the armpits and below the chest of the person; means for cyclically urging said flexible element toward the armpits, comprising a pair of springs having one end respectively secured to the ends of said flexible element, and means secured to the other ends of said springs respectively for cyclically and simultaneously tensioning said springs; a pad adapted to rest on the abdomen at the pelvic region; means connected to the pad for applying pressure on said pad to urge said pad in a direction longitudinally of the trunk and toward the head of the person; and means for holding the upper leg structure in an elevated position with respect to the trunk.

9. In a device of the character described: means providing an inclined rest for the trunk of a person; a pad adapted to be placed on the abdomen of a person; means comprising a weight structure secured near that portion of the pad lowermost of the person for exerting a force on said pad that has a major component normal of said rest; and means comprising another weight structure secured on the upper portion of the pad for exerting a force on the pad that has a major component parallel to said rest.

10. In a device of the character described: means providing an inclined rest for the trunk of a person; a pad adapted to be placed on the abdomen of a person; strap means extending longitudinally of the pad for causing firm engagement thereof with the abdomen of a person; means comprising a weight structure secured near that portion of the pad lowermost of the person for exerting a force on said pad that has a major component normal of said rest; and means comprising another weight structure secured on the upper portion of the pad for exerting a force on the pad that has a major component parallel to said rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

